TNI chief issue widens Susilo-House divide

TNI chief issue widens Susilo-House divide

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono banned Army Chief of Staff
Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu on Thursday from responding to a House
invitation to a selection hearing for the post of Indonesian
Military (TNI) chief.

Fueling the already tense relations between the House and the
government, Susilo said that he had revoked the letter issued by
the previous president on the replacement of the TNI chief so
that the House had no longer any legal grounds for continuing to
process his replacement.

"The President has revoked the letter on the TNI chief's
replacement, and so selection hearings can only begin if there is
a request from the President to do so," Indonesian Military (TNI)
chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said after meeting with the
President on Thursday.

"Given this situation, there is no need for Pak Ryamizard to
respond to the invitation," he added. The TNI law stipulates that
the appointment and removal of the TNI chief requires the
approval of the House.

Respecting the President's decision, Ryamizard did not turn up
for the meeting with the House defense commission affiliated to
the Nationhood Coalition which opposes to Susilo's
administration. Instead, Ryamizard sent a letter to the House
saying that he had not put in an appearance as he had not been
ordered to do so by the President.

Defense commission chairman Theo L. Sambuaga confirmed on
Thursday that he had received the letter. Another legislator,
Hajrianto Tohari of Golkar Party, vowed that the House would
continue the process.

"It is not prudent for the President to interrupt an ongoing
process in the House," he said.

Endriartono tendered his resignation one month before former
president Megawati Soekarnoputri stepped down on Oct. 20. She
approved the request and sent a letter to the House to start the
process for Ryamizard to be appointed as the new TNI chief. The
House then set a date for the selection hearing.

On Oct. 25, however, Susilo sent a letter to the House
speaker, saying that he had revoked his predecessor's letter as
he preferred to keep Endriartono in his post until he had
consolidated his new administration.

The letter infuriated the House leaders, but during a meeting
at Merdeka Palace on Oct. 29, Susilo said that he could
understand why the House wanted to push ahead with the process.
State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra added that there should be
no problem as Susilo might recommend the same person for the
post.

However, on Thursday Yusril said that by sending his letter to
the House, Susilo had in effect rendered Megawati's letter
invalid.

"Because (Megawati's) letter has been withdrawn, there is no
need for legislators to discuss it," Yusril said after meeting
House Speaker Agung Laksono.

Separately, Nationhood Coalition legislators continued with
their plan to summon Susilo over Susilo's decision to revoke
Megawati's letter and put the replacement process on hold.

Golkar's Yudi Chrisnandi said on Thursday that the plan was
supported by 43 legislators from various factions grouped in the
Nationhood Coalition and would be submitted to House leaders on
Friday.

Based on the House's standing orders, the plan to summon the
President via an interpellation motion requires the support of at
least 13 legislators. Legislators need the approval of a plenary
meeting to push the motion forward.

For the interpellation motion to continue, the request needs
to be approved by the plenary meeting, the holding of which is
scheduled by the House steering committee, before it is given to
the President.

Almost two-thirds of the House's 550 members are from parties
opposed to Susilo's administration.